Rep. Greg Howard

Maddy summaryHB 6651 defines digital currency in the penal code to align with banking standards, allows law enforcement to seize digital wallets associated with cryptocurrency theft before a conviction to fund victim compensation, and creates a dedicated budget within the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection. The bill provides resources for the department to purchase technology, train officers, and coordinate with local police to investigate crypto theft cases more effectively. It directly affects victims of cryptocurrency theft by establishing a compensation mechanism and law enforcement agencies by funding specialized tools and training. The key provisions focus on standardizing legal definitions, enabling victim restitution through asset seizure, and enhancing investigative capabilities for crypto-related crimes.

Maddy summarySB 1128 requires the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority (CHFA) to update its Connecticut Opportunity Map - available on its website - to accurately represent Eastern Connecticut. The bill mandates revisions to both the map's visual content and the policies used to create it. This change directly affects residents, businesses, and communities in Eastern Connecticut by ensuring the map reflects their specific economic and housing conditions. The update aims to provide more precise data for housing and economic development planning in the region.

Maddy summaryHB 5800 allocates unspecified annual funding from the state General Fund to support rifle teams at technical high schools, continuing existing program financing. The bill appropriates money for the fiscal years ending June 2026, 2027, and each year after that. It directly affects technical high schools that operate rifle teams by providing ongoing financial support for their participation in competitive shooting sports. This is a straightforward funding measure with no new policy requirements or eligibility changes.

Maddy summaryHB 5802 (2025) requires the Commissioner of Administrative Services to increase the salaries of harbor masters. This bill directly affects harbor masters, who are state employees responsible for managing harbor operations. The key provision mandates a salary adjustment through the Commissioner's office, with no additional implementation details provided in the text. The bill focuses solely on adjusting compensation for this specific state workforce role.

Maddy summaryHB 5895 permits local and regional school districts to install security camera systems in self-contained special education classrooms, which are dedicated learning environments for students with specific needs. The bill amends education statutes to remove legal barriers preventing such installations, directly affecting school boards and administrators managing these specialized classrooms. Key provisions clarify that cameras may only be placed in self-contained special education settings, not general classrooms or school areas. The law aims to provide schools with a tool for monitoring safety in these specific instructional spaces, without mandating camera use. This is a policy change focused on enabling school districts to make their own decisions about safety measures in designated classrooms.

Maddy summaryHB 5892 establishes a task force composed of certified teachers from diverse school districts and grade levels to study how standardized exams impact students. The task force will analyze the effects of state-mandated exams and develop recommendations to improve their implementation or explore alternative methods for measuring student achievement. This bill does not change current testing requirements but creates a formal process to evaluate their impact. The task force’s work is intended to inform future policy decisions about assessment practices. (3 sentences)

Maddy summaryHB 5891 would create a tiered teacher evaluation system in Connecticut. Educators rated "proficient" or "exemplary" would no longer require annual formal evaluations, allowing them to focus more on classroom instruction. Those rated "developing" or "below standard" would continue to be evaluated annually. The bill aims to reduce administrative burden for high-performing teachers while providing ongoing support for educators needing improvement, as stated in the bill's purpose.

Maddy summaryHB 5967 directs that 50% of the revenue from a 1% sales tax on meals sold by restaurants, caterers, and grocery stores must be allocated to local municipalities for infrastructure and public safety projects. It also requires 25% of this revenue to fund state tourism promotion and another 25% to support workforce development programs. The bill applies specifically to businesses collecting the additional meal tax and mandates how the funds are distributed, without creating new taxes. This allocation affects all qualifying businesses and state/local programs receiving the designated funds.

Maddy summaryHB 6012 reduces early voting periods to lower costs for local governments. It changes general election early voting from 14 days to 7 days and primary early voting from 7 days to 3 days. This directly affects municipalities, which would save taxpayer money by shortening the duration of early voting operations. The bill focuses solely on adjusting voting schedule length without altering voting methods or eligibility.

Maddy summaryHB 6165 creates a legal framework for supported decision-making agreements as a less restrictive alternative to court-appointed conservatorships or guardianships for adults with disabilities. The bill amends state law to allow individuals with disabilities to use these agreements - where they receive support for decisions while retaining legal autonomy - instead of having a court appoint a conservator or guardian. It directly affects adults with disabilities who currently face conservatorship or guardianship proceedings, offering them a more self-determined option. The key provision establishes this agreement process as a formal alternative within existing legal structures, without requiring court involvement.